When Hemingway wrote The Old Man and the Sea, he was an old man himself. His previous novel was not a good book. But The Old Man and the Sea was instantly a huge success. The simple, clear language Hemingway used to describe an old man's determination to succeed one more time appealed to many readers all over the world. Some people think that Hemingway was writing about himself, as a writer who wanted one more big success.
Many other people believe Hemingway based the character on Gregorio Fuentes, a Cuban who worked for the author. Fuentes was the captain of Hemingway's fishing boat, the Pilar, when Hemingway lived in Cuba.
However, Fuentes once told a reporter a different story. One day he and Hemingway were sailing on the Pilar when they saw an old fisherman. This man was in a small boat and had a large fish tied to the side. Hemingway told Fuentes he wanted to write about the fisherman.
Perhaps Hemingway combined parts of himself, his friends and people he saw to create the main character. After all, that could be why the story appeals to so many readers: the old man represents all men who struggle, determined to win just one more time.
当海明威写作《老人与海》时,他自己也是一位老人了。他之前的那本小说并不出色,但是《老人与海》一出版就立刻获得了巨大的成功。海明威用简单易懂的语言描写了一位老人想要再次成功的决心,这打动了全世界的众多读者。有些人认为海明威描写的正是他自己,一位想要再次取得伟大成功的作家。
还有许多人相信海明威笔下角色的原型来自格雷戈里奥·富恩特斯,一个为这位作家工作的古巴人。海明威住在古巴时,富恩特斯是海明威的渔船“皮拉号”的船长。
但是,富恩特斯则对记者说了一个不同的故事。一天他和海明威乘坐“皮拉号”航行时,看见一个老渔夫在一艘小船上,船侧绑着一条大鱼。海明威告诉富恩特斯他想写关于这名渔夫的故事。
也许海明威是结合了自己、他的朋友和他所见到的人这三个部分而创造出了本书的主人公。归根到底,这可能正是故事吸引了如此多读者的原因:老人代表了进行斗争并决心再一次取得胜利的所有人。